Closet Lockout

A few years ago, I stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast owned by an acquaintance in El Paso. The old-fashioned room was cozy, with a comfortable bed and a small closet. As I was unpacking a bit before going to bed, I spread out all my cosmetics and toiletries on the dresser, which was adorned with a basket filled with fake flowers. I needed more room so I moved the basket, along with my suitcase, into the closet. I shut the closet door and went to sleep. The next morning I woke up feeling refreshed, but that ease wouldn’t last long. I wanted to put on some clothes for breakfast, but when I tried to open the closet, it wouldn't budge. After a few more attempts, I started worrying that I would have to call a locksmith in El Paso.

I searched frantically around the room for a key to the closet to no avail. Finally, I decided to go downstairs and ask the proprietor for help. When I told her what had happened, she acted like it was no big deal and confidently led me back up to my room. But when we got there, her eyes grew big. “What happened to the flower basket?” She asked. Sheepishly, I explained that it was in the closet. It turned out that the basket contained her only key to that door. I suggested getting some tools and trying to pry open the door ourselves, but she was enamored of the vintage lock and did not want to risk destroying it.

The owner rummaged through some business cards and found the number of a locksmith in El Paso. The locksmith arrived within half an hour, and very soon was able to open the door without damaging the lock. Still in my pajamas and extremely embarrassed, I raced into the closet to get my wallet so I could pay for the inconvenience I had caused. The owner let me foot the bill, but she did ask the locksmith to make her some extra keys!